The $62 million project will upgrade the Furnace Creek and Cow Creek water and wastewater systems. The project is expected to begin in 2025.
Funding comes from the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) Legacy Restoration Fund. "The Great American Outdoors Act is a game-changer for Death Valley. This project to rehabilitate two old and failing utility systems will take care of critical infrastructure needs and ensure a sustainable water supply while protecting the fragile desert ecosystem. This is about more than fixing pipes. It is about preserving the natural wonder of Death Valley and enhancing the visitor experience for generations to come," said Mike Reynolds, Superintendent of Death Valley National Park, in a May 31 news release from the US National Park Service (NPS).
According to the NPS, the project will address deferred maintenance and repairs, as well as enhance conservation, remediate environmental hazards, and improve ecosystems in the park. The project will replace more than 12 miles of water and sewer pipes; replace well pumps in the Furnace Creek system; build a new well; replace a lift station and replace two others; upgrade the Furnace Creek sewage treatment lagoons; construct a new water treatment building at Cow Creek; and upgrade existing facilities at Furnace Creek.
When complete, there will be a looped water system, which means that even if there’s a break in the main pipe, water service will continue. The system was repaired 32 times in 2023 and 67 times in 2022.
Wastewater systems also required multiple repairs in 2022-2023. An upgraded wastewater system will keep sewage from leaking into the park. The park’s wastewater systems were repaired 15 times in 2022 and 12 times in 2023, according to the NPS news release.
Death Valley National Park is located in California and Nevada. It is known for its high temperatures and is considered by the NPS to be the hottest, driest, and lowest national park, with a basin below sea level, an ongoing drought, and record heat during summer months. Visitors can take self-guided Star Wars driving tours to explore filming locations within the park, watch sunrises or sunsets, or enjoy miles of backcountry roads.
